Collections Crisis in the Nation’s Capital: Problems and Solutions for the Washington, D.C. Historic Preservation Office

Summary

Successful collections management encompasses proper housing, monitoring, and curation to ensure long-term preservation and accessibility. However, successful collections management also involves identifying and addressing issues(s) that threaten collections. The Washington, D.C. Historic Preservation Office (DCHPO) is in the midst of addressing a collections crisis. The DCHPO consults on both District and Federal compliance projects, and without a curation facility, its collections are stored across various agencies and repositories. Compounded by repeated office moves, lack of a city archaeologist for a brief period, updated preservation legislation, and tight funding, the DCHPO collections have suffered. This paper examines the collections status at its worst--subject to fluctuating environmental conditions, inconsistent housing materials, a lack of research space, and, in general, a weak inventory--and then assesses the strategic steps already taken in rectifying each issue. This paper concludes by considering what else can be done even as the DCHPO collections continue to grow.